White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata)
Eurybia div-air-ih-KAY-tah

Deciduous Perennial Mounded, Spreading in the Asteraceae Family
Foliage is heart-shaped and coarsely toothed, with white star-like flowers.

Eurybia divaricata, commonly called white wood aster, is a native woodland perennial that brightens shaded gardens from late summer into fall. It forms a loose, spreading mound of wiry, branched stems with dark stem coloring and coarsely toothed, heart-shaped basal leaves. From August through October, the plant is covered in small, white, star-shaped flowers with yellow centers that age to pink-red after pollination, creating an airy haze of bloom in deep shade where few other perennials flower. The blooms draw bees and butterflies, and the foliage serves as a larval host plant for the Pearl Crescent butterfly. Native to woodlands of the Appalachian Mountains and eastern North America, white wood aster spreads by rhizomes to form an attractive groundcover under trees, tolerating dry shade and poor soil once established.

Pros

  • Reliable fall bloom in deep shade
  • Spreads to form an easy-care groundcover
  • Supports late-season pollinators and butterfly caterpillars
  • Tolerates dry shade once established

Cons

  • Can spread aggressively by rhizome in ideal conditions
  • Lax, sprawling stems may need support from sturdier neighbors
  • Susceptible to powdery mildew in crowded plantings
Why Like White wood aster is one of the few native perennials that blooms reliably in deep shade, lighting up the forest floor in late summer and fall when little else is flowering. Its nectar and pollen support bees and butterflies heading into autumn, and its foliage hosts Pearl Crescent butterfly caterpillars, making it a genuinely useful addition to a woodland or native pollinator garden, not just an ornamental filler.
Highlights
  • Blooms in deep shade where few perennials flower
  • Airy white, star-shaped flowers from late summer into fall
  • Spreads to form an attractive woodland groundcover
  • Host plant for Pearl Crescent butterfly caterpillars
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 18 - 24 inches tall. 24 - 36 inches wide.
Growth Rate Rapid
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Partial Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 3a - 8b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Dry Shade Tolerant, Full Shade, Good for Butterfly Garden, Groundcover, Low Maintenance, Medium, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Popular For Fall, Shade Tolerant, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period August to October
Flower Color White With Yellow Centers
Foliage Color
 

Most Popular Plants
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

  • Hostas and ferns, for textural contrast in shade
  • Heuchera and Tiarella, for season-long foliage color
  • Solomon's Seal and Wild Ginger, as woodland companions
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!